A/N: This was the first fanfiction story I ever wrote and posted, and I did it a long time ago, but I didn't have any author notes or anything. It looked a little bit unprofessional, so I thought I'd add those.

I turned this into a sort of series about the First War. The stories do stand alone, but they live in the same universe, and they each star a different character. This one belongs to Sirius Black. I also have one starring James Potter, and one starring Peter Pettigrew. I am trying to write more, but I find myself blocked when it comes to the pre-books fanfics.

I hope you enjoy this!

~Maya

First War Series:

In the Midst of a War

Four friends sat in the living room of Sirius Black's flat, laughing heartily in front of the fireplace and enjoying a rare free night. The flat was very small, with a living room, kitchen, and just one bedroom and bathroom, but in times like these, it felt much safer to have a home that one could monitor easily at all times. With very few windows and doors to lock, and no room for anyone or anything to hide, Sirius was able to feel moderately safe when he slept every night. Although everyday life was very chaotic, this flat was Sirius's haven, a place of sanctuary that no worry could penetrate, and it seemed to have become this for the rest of his friends as well. Lily, James, and Remus sat in a circle on the floor, in front of Muggle news with the volume down low so that their voices could be heard, but once every few seconds one of them glanced up at it and hoped they wouldn't see what they were all looking for. Everyone was looking for it these days. The mysterious disappearances that Muggle police could not figure out, but in hushed whispers were mourned by the Wizarding community. The silent massacres that were acknowledged only through pointed stares and minute nods for fear of being caught by his people. Lately, it seemed to Sirius, that you could always tell wizard from Muggle based on the amount of fear in his eyes, the way he walked, calmly and nonchalantly or hunched over, clutching his coat tightly around his body. Muggles had it easier; ignorance truly was bliss. Unfortunately, if the murders and disappearances continued as such, that difference would no longer be so easy to spot.

Sirius reentered his living room with a few blankets, pillows, and drinks hovering in front of his raised wand, and stopped in his tracks, eyes fixed on the television. For a moment, the trio before him looked confused, but comprehension and dread dawned on their expressions and they, with a very reluctant air, turned to look at the screen as well.

"…and four people in London were reported dead in the same way that the other eight this month have been: dead in their beds, eyes wide open, no sign of any physical harm. Looks like a new type of killing on the rise here that our best still need to figure out. Be safe and be aware, folks. Let's have a moment to honor these four people…"

After so many, the names reached their ears in a buzzing sound. For the first few, they had listened attentively and quietly honored each and every person to themselves. After the sixth one, Lily had even shed a few tears, and, though he would never admit it, Sirius had leaked a few before sleeping that night. They were tears of sorrow, tears of fear. They were losing.

"I think that's enough of that for tonight," Remus said calmly, clicking the screen off. "Let's enjoy the rest of one of few nights we have together, shall we?" Sirius rolled his eyes. Always the sentimental one, Remus. Oddly enough, he was most sentimental, yet least emotional man Sirius knew.

Lily smiled. "Thanks. Actually," she said, smiling more widely, "James and I have some news for you both." James grinned and wrapped his arm around his wife. "We were actually hoping that Peter could be here," she continued, "and maybe some of the girls, but as it's impossible to get everyone around at this time, and in a few months' time you'd already know—"

"Oh, just say it already," Sirius cried, impatient. "You're pregnant!"

Lily laughed, looking slightly annoyed, but laughing all the same.

"I told you to say it fast, or else he'd spoil it for us!" James said, glaring at his best friend, as both Sirius and Remus exploded in congratulations.

"Well, you know me," Lily replied, still sporting a wide smile. "I get emotional and all. It is after all, a baby." She grinned at Sirius. "I think you better put my drink away now."

He shrugged. "Or I could just drink it."

"So," said Remus. "What are the details?"

"Oh, we don't know anything yet. We only just found out two weeks ago," Lily explained. "Only the Healer knows."

"The Healer?" said Sirius, leaning forward concernedly. "Did you take any measures to keep it secret?"

"No, but—"

"Lily! You know that the hospitals are no longer safe! Anybody could discover!"

"Yes, but Sirius, it's a baby—"

"It doesn't matter to them. And anyway, it's your baby. Your baby, Lily. The baby of Lily and James Potter. The Death Eaters know you. Hell, some of them even know you personally, all the duels you've had." He turned his attention to James. "Mate, how could you be so careless?" Before James could respond, Lily suddenly burst into tears. Everyone stared, shocked.

"I-I-I didn't realize…oh, James, what have we done? A baby, a baby, in this world a baby, our baby, and we-we d-didn't even think to-to- ohhh…" she blubbered.

"It's the hormones, or something. Pregnancy does this," James explained quietly to a panic-stricken Sirius.

Remus scooted forward towards Lily. "Shh, it'll be all right. This fear is illogical," he looked at Sirius, "in a few months you'd be showing very obviously. If anyone were to know, well, it would only be a short time earlier than they would've known inevitably. Not too difficult to deal with. Either way, it needs to be kept a good secret, only now, we have to pounce on it right away." Looking at James, he asked, "Should we contact Albus now, or should we wait until morning?"

James turned to Sirius. "How safe is this flat?"

"It's safe, mate."

"How safe, Sirius? This is my wife and my unborn child. I need an exact answer."

"I've got about twenty-seven protection spells, and those are just for Dark wizards. Would you like to hear the names?"

"Got it, thanks. No need for the mockery, Padfoot. You know this is important."

Sirius sighed. "Sorry, mate. I'm just nervous as hell. I don't generally get crying women in my flat, especially not ones I care about."

James set his jaw. "I think we should wait until morning. There's no need to upset Lily with more activity. She should get some rest, and then tomorrow we'll contact Dumbledore straight away." He moved toward his wife. "Lily, do you want to go into the bedroom, or should we all sleep out here?"

She sniffed. "Out here, please."

They laid out the sleeping bags and prepared for bed, talking only in low whispers. Sirius kept glancing at the door. It was fear like nothing else. Huddled together, each of them desperate to be anything but alone, their thoughts wandered to dark places. It was as if Death himself had his cloak hovering over the building, just waiting for the right moment to swoop down. The air was biting cold, and even with the flames in the jar by their bags, they all shivered. The three men focused on keeping Lily and the unborn baby warm. It gave them something to do that would take the mind away from the incessant fear.

It was about three in the morning. Lily gasped, sat up, and screamed. The door was blasted open.

"GET IN HERE! GET IN HERE! IT'S THE ONES HE'S LOOKING FOR!" As two other masked men walked in, the first Death Eater turned his attention to four people on the floor. "DON'T MOVE OR WE'LL BLOW YOU UP!"

Just because they were Aurors didn't mean they had to fight. Then again, because they were Aurors, they knew when to fight. "Please," Lily whispered. All eyes, except Sirius's, turned to her. "Please, I'm pregnant. Have a heart, please."

"Shut up, mudblood. I don't pity frailty." the Death Eater spat. "And that's why he wants you, bloody idiot." Her eyes widened; they hadn't expected that part. However, her purpose had been served, and the time was bought. In that moment, Lily had distracted the three men by the door, and Sirius was now throwing curse after curse in their direction.

"Bloody hell—" The Death Eaters began destroying every part of the flat they could. The four Aurors, however, were more than a match for the others. Within moments, two of the Death Eaters were on the floor, covered in blotchy red spots, howling in pain. Lily approached the last one, the one who had insulted her before they dueled. She pointed her wand directly at his mask, said, "Not so frail, now, am I?" and hissed out a curse that made the men wince. The Death Eater's feet seemed to slide out from under him as he flew into the air, banged against both walls, and fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. With a lazy flick of her wand, Lily bound all the three of the masked men, then turned to her friends.

"What should we do with them?" she asked. "Take them to the Ministry…" She faltered. They all had their doubts about the Ministry of Magic. In the past few months, there had been more break-ins into the Ministry and break-outs from Azkaban than there had been in the past ten years.

"No," Sirius said firmly. "The Order." He raised his wand to perform the charm, but was stopped by a high, cold voice entering the room.

"Oh, no, no, we mustn't interfere with the Dark Lord's plans, my dear Sirius." Sirius froze as three pairs of wide eyes turned to him. Then they heard the cackling laughter.

"Bellatrix," Sirius muttered lowly, his eyes darkening.

James, Lily, and Sirius were the best, most aggressive Aurors the Order had, and with Remus's sharp mind, they rarely failed. Before the twisted man outside Sirius's flat could even finish his sentence, all four of them had had their wands at the ready, each knowing which spell to use, and which spell the others would use. As Voldemort stepped into the room, Lily's flash of blue light set everything into place. Remus shot Reductor Curses at the doorframe and the ceiling directly above Voldemort, so as to blind his vision, even if only for a moment. Sirius's curse, the effect of which had them toppling backwards, enveloped Voldemort in a bubble-like figure, which prevented him from Apparating.

"GO! NOW!" he yelled to the others. James, in a last effort to hinder him, sent the sofa hurling towards him, and they all Disapparated. The last thing they heard was his scream of fury.

The shock they felt when they reached the Potters' house could have, if it had been a regular electrical shock, killed them all. The front door had been blasted open, and now lay in pieces in the living room, amidst all the other ruins the Death Eaters had left there. Stuffing from the sofa was scattered over the floor, and there were very large, gruesome holes in the wall. As a finishing touch, the Death Eaters had garnished the debris with the small chandelier that now coated the living room floor with glass. Sirius, it appeared, had been right on the spot; the Death Eaters did indeed have it in for Lily and James's baby. It was still a major confusion, however, as to why Voldemort would want their child. Only once before tonight had the two ever come face to face with Voldemort, and from what Dumbledore said, he never had much care for his Death Eaters' complaints, so it wouldn't matter if they had expressed their hatred of the Potters to their Dark Lord.

"Dumbledore," Remus sputtered. "We have to go to Dumbledore." Dumbstruck and white-faced, Lily nodded in agreement. They took the Floo right into Dumbledore's office, and all began explaining at once.

"Albus, you have to—"

"Please, it's important—"

Dumbledore raised his hand and stared seriously at them. "What has happened?"

Sirius cleared his throat. "We were attacked. In my flat, sir. There were three Death Eaters, and we took care of them without much of a problem. After that, Voldemort and Bellatrix showed up." Dumbledore looked alarmed. "Not to worry, though, at least not too much, we took care of them too, but what's concerning us is something a Death Eater said." He looked hesitantly at Lily, and then back at Dumbledore. "He said Voldemort's after Lily because of her baby."

To their surprise, Dumbledore grimaced and sighed loudly. He did not speak for several moments, and when he did it was directly to Lily. "Firstly, congratulations to the both of you, I wish you and your child well. Secondly, this is a grave problem, expected, but grave nonetheless. We'll need to take protective measures immediately."

"But sir," Lily asked desperately, "Why would he be after me for my baby? What does this child mean to him? I don't understand…"

"All I can say on the matter is that it is very complicated," Dumbledore responded. Sirius scoffed rather conspicuously. Dumbledore turned to him. "Is something the matter, Sirius?"

"It's complicated," he replied sarcastically, glaring. "Albus, this concerns our lives. We deserve to know the truth."

"I'm very sorry, Sirius, but divulging the truth will endanger all of you."

"Endanger—what—what the bloody hell does that mean?" Sirius spluttered. "Albus we ARE in danger! Do you not understand? THESE ARE OUR LIVES! If you don't tell us—"

"Sirius is right, Albus," James said. "We need to know."

"James, I implore you to understand," Dumbledore said obstinately. "I cannot give you a complete answer. All I can say is that Voldemort appears convinced that your child, once grown, will eventually lead to his fall. Why he believes so, I cannot tell you."

"But—" Sirius insisted.

"Stop," Remus murmured. "He's told us what we need. The point is, Voldemort will stop at nothing, and we need to prepare our protections as soon as possible. Arguing will get us nowhere."

Sirius looked livid, but he held his tongue.

"Right," Dumbledore said, once he was sure Sirius would not interrupt. "I suggest you enter the Fidelius Charm. It's very complicated, and requires a Secret Keeper. You'll not need to decide now, but other protections, as many as possible, need to be placed immediately upon your houses. Now, for those I suggest…"

But Sirius was no longer paying attention. His flat, his safe haven that nothing could penetrate, now held memories that would haunt them for a long time. He felt a stress, a panic overtake him, a panic that perhaps this war was ending. Perhaps the Dark had won. Day after day, week after week, people were dying and disappearing, both Muggle and wizard, the Order's numbers were diminishing exponentially, and they had lost many of their best. For the last few years, Sirius had refused to give up, had insisted that they would win if they kept their morale up and their wits intact, but fear had gripped the wizarding world in a chokehold. His throat tightened as he began to consider the idea of dying, of losing his friends. No, he said to himself. We'll make it. I will survive, and I will win. He nodded unnoticeably, reassuring himself that everything would be all right. Time would tell, very soon, what a lie that was.

A/N: Please leave me your thoughts! Also, if you have any ideas for other First War stories, let me know in the reviews:)